Fate, and Some Other Things
by Kaaaaaayyyeeeeee
Summary: Who knew that bumping into someone, as cliche as it was, would really change two people's lives forever?
1. Prologue

Hi! This is the first time I'm writing a fanfiction for Skip Beat! I have been an avid reader of this manga for years and have been a fan of the mangaka since Tokyo Crazy Paradise. I have wrote fanfictions for Gakuen Alice/ Alice Academy which have been duly neglected for years. This is just a trial story, I'm trying to see if I can still write some good ol' fanfictions. Reads and reviews will be deeply appreciated!

 **Disclaimer:** Skip Beat! and all its characters are not mine. However, this fan fiction is.

* * *

It wasn't really much of a story at all.

They met at a high-end club where she, the uptight top employee, allowed herself to go and spend one night of 'fun' with her colleagues while he, after turning down countless invitations succumbed to party with his officemates. Her small marketing and advertising company was able to close on a deal with a major entertainment company for a secret project. Though a small company with limited employees, it is a pride and honor for them that they have worked with bigshot companies, agencies, and some small entertainment companies. And now, finally they are really now entering the sphere of their major bigtime competitors.

He was there because finally, his officemates have gotten into him. After countless after-work invitations from them, he gave in and said that they do deserve to go out and have a fun time once in a while. Work was heavy due to the constant rain of campaigns and projects their department have. Every month, they work on different projects with different departments, artists, and different shows. Working on a big entertainment company, he had long expected that and never once complained about it. Tonight, they stepped out of the office with the high hopes of heavy partying and getting drunk. They only say it was because partying with one of their big bosses was long over due.

Who knew that bumping into someone, as cliche as it was, would really change two people's life forever?

* * *

And that's the prologue of this story. It's not much, I know it's even _barely_ of what I was supposed to put in. This may be rewritten, depends on what will the reviews be or what my revision will be. So, thank you for reading this, have a great day!

Review please?


	2. Chapter 1

Hello! Thank you to all who read, reviewed and followed my story. This is the first chapter of Fate, and some other Things. I hope you enjoy reading it!

 **Disclaimer:** Skip Beat! and all its characters are not mine. However, this fanfiction is.

* * *

"Kyoko, drink up. It's fine, this one's sweet."

"Moko-san, thank you but I feel a little bit buzzy. I think I'm done for tonight." Kyoko smiled at her friend and Kanae snorted a little. She has always been a lightweight with alcohol and it was a miracle Kyoko managed to down four drinks.

"Do you want to go now?" she asked.

Kyoko answered her right away saying, "I'm alright. I can still stay another 30 minutes or so." Kanae nodded and drank the liquor she was offering Kyoko.

"Yamazaki's been all over Chiori since earlier. Do you want to come over and help her?" Kanae's eyes were twinkling with amusement.

Chiori Amamiya was another close friend of theirs, and Yamazaki was their co-worker. It wasn't a secret in the office that he was interested in their friend. They knew he likes her but never really made any serious efforts to express his feelings much less than ask her.

Kanae and Kyoko knew that Chiori doesn't like the man and was not the type to string anyone along so Kyoko said, "It's fine, Chiori seems to be doing okay with him. If she asks for intervention, we will. That's why I'm not leaving yet. We have to look out for Chiori." Kyoko smiled at Kanae. Kanae's lips turned up a little as Kyoko turned away and watched Chiori and Yamazaki at the corner. Kanae always knew that Kyoko is protective as she was with the other member of their little band of misfits.

She, Kyoko, and Chiori are the odd ones in their little company. No one ever really liked them, much less than _want_ to party with them that's why it was a little shocking that their boss made an effort to reel everyone in on the party to celebrate the success of their latest project acquisition. It was a huge secret project campaign and they are the only marketing and advertising company that this major entertainment company chose and signed the deal with. Kanae, with her great deal of inside connections, got wind of this project months ago before they were even asked for it. That's why, she, Kyoko and Chiori prepared ahead for months telling no one in their management about it. It's not that she was being greedy about it, it was just that she didn't trust anyone to keep the information as much as her friends will. And she trusted both their work ethics and professionalism to get the job executed well and be chosen for it. And chosen they were.

"Miss, may I buy you a drink?" suddenly Kanae's musings were interrupted and a man appeared before her. She scrunched her eyebrows and politely said, "No, thank you." The man tried to convince her once again, at least for a dance but she declined. He turned and walked away. Kanae can't be bothered to at least think if she must've wounded his ego, she said no and that she meant it. Anyone should respect that. She turned to look at her friend and saw some of her workers looking at her, she lightly glared at them and walked to Chiori. She won't stick around to see them talk about her. She's had about enough of that since the second guy tonight who asked her.

Kyoko stayed at their booth talking to some of their colleagues who unlike some others, she gets along with. They were much older colleagues who have families, they talked about their married life and children, family finances and pretty much everything Kyoko in her age wouldn't really be involved much. They said that it was nice going out once in a while because their work can be pretty demanding and it was hard balancing careers and family life. Kyoko listened and joined in sometimes but she preferred to listen more.

"Kyoko, you still live with your parents, right? Do you have any plans with them this weekend?"

Kyoko smiled at them, "They are still running the restaurant but I want to ask them to go to Mizumoto Park this Sunday. I want to have them take a day off and go there for a picnic."

Yuko, one of their older colleagues said, "Oh, thats right! Mizumoto Park is really good even though it's summer."

"Yes, it's cool there even in summer. I hope they would agree."

"Your parents are too hardworking, they would like that." Matsunaga, another one in the group said so. "My wife and I are planning to go Kyoto next weekend so I can get drunk tonight and laze around this weekend." they laughed and the conversation flowed in.

She ended up staying an hour more than she told Kanae. As Kanae did not return to their booth, Kyoko excused herself to their group and bid goodbye. She told them that she would call for taxi drivers just in case some people needed rides or would be too intoxicated to drive. They said thank you and then she left. As she went to Kanae and Chiori, she saw that Yamazaki was no longer with them and Chiori said that he left for a while now. It was nearly 12 midnight and she wanted to leave now, "I'm going home, I'll try to help in closing the restaurant. Okaa-san and otou-san must be tired today." she said.

"It's fine Kyoko, do you want us to go and help too?" Chiori asked.

"Oh, no! It's fine, Chiori. We all had a long week. Have fun. I'll see you both."

"Are we still on this Sunday?" Kanae asked.

"I still have to ask them so I will call you tomorrow. I have to go now." she then hugged both her friends. "Take care, be safe!" she called out to them.

Kyoko already called in her ride for tonight and in five minutes he will be there. As she walk, she was busily trying to rummage her bag to look for her wallet. Unbeknownst to her, there was a person in front of her and before she knew it, a hard figure collided with her and liquid was spilled all over.

* * *

"Kuon-kun, it's off-day tomorrow, loosen up. You only come to this parties once every blue moon, so try to have fun." Akane Miyamura, in Kuon's opinion, was too close for comfort. Her concept of the comfort zone must be too narrow as she sat too close to him in the huge sofa of this club. There were only six of them in the sofa—her, himself, on his far left was his friend, Yashiro, and three other colleagues Yashiro was engaged in a conversation with. Kuon tried to join in many times but Akane Miyamura always manages to stir the conversation towards her leaving all of them to look and talk to her. He tried leaving them but she would immediately follow after. She was far more incessant and aggressive when she had a few drinks in her. This night was turning out worse than he expected and he wanted to leave since the first hour and a half but Yashiro convinced him to stay at least for another hour. He tried to reason but Yashiro told him to since he seldom join this after-work parties.

It was not that Kuon hated night clubs and parties like this, it was just that he has grown out of them. When he was in his early twenties, he probably partied more than he worked and as he grew older and got more serious into his career, the lifestyle did not suit him anymore. He drinks once in a while but it was more by himself at his apartment, or sometimes with Yashiro and their big boss. The blaring of the music, and the smoky haze in the club made him hot. A lot of people were there tonight seeing it was a Friday, and the air conditioner was not cool enough. He can't wait to pass the time and just go home.

"Ready to go home, Kuon?" Kuon smiled at Kijima who handed a glass of liquor to him. Kuon laughed at seeing him and said, "I think this is kind of an exclusive office party, Kijima."

Kijima snorted a little and punched his arm lightly, "Hey, where the party goes, I go. And besides, it's not as if I wasn't invited."

"By who?" Kuon asked.

"By one of your interns, Reina."

"Reina? We have new interns?"

Kijima laughed more and said, "Tsk, Kuon. That's why you unknowingly break other people's heart. I remember her saying to me that she actually approached you and asked if she could ask to take someone with her. And you said yes."

"I did?" he was totally clueless about it.

"Yup. You must have a lot of things in your mind when you talked to her. Don't worry, I won't tell her."

"I must have. I don't even know her face. You know I'm bad with remembering faces." Kuon said.

"Don't worry." Kijima said patting his shoulder, "It's not the first time."

And the hour passed slightly faster for Kuon, he and Kijima talked some more until he left for the dance floor with a woman who he would assume as Reina, their new intern. Yashiro approached next him saying that Akane finally left the club with some of her friends escorting her out since she was too drunk. Kuon did not bother hiding his relief at hearing that.

"It's nice to have this break, at least for tonight. The president wants to release another project by the end of the year. And we would be more busy," Kuon snorted not too discretely hearing that, "because of that."

"That's not new." he replied.

"Yes. Matsushima-san already met with the marketing and advertising company the boss wanted." Yashiro informed him.

"Marketing and advertising company?" Kuon was baffled with that.

" We would be working with another company. Don't worry, they're just small and from what I gathered, they're exceptional. They worked with a lot of companies like us and I have seen some of their works. Remember the commercial that made me cry?"

"Which one? There's a lot of them." Kuon turned to him smirking a little.

Yashiro rolled his eyes and answered, "The one for animal adoptions."

Kuon remembered, "Oh."

"Yeah, the president knows how much work we have so he hired that group to help us work on it. We would do a collaborative work and that project should be finished by at least November. The other one we have with Bridge Rock would be finished by next month so maybe next week we can meet with them and start to work on it."

"Okay. We could." Kuon said.

Him and Yashiro stayed for another thirty minutes, and he was able to talk more comfortably now with some of his colleagues and the interns (whom he finally remembered meeting)and actually have fun. Time passed by and as he looked at his wristwatch, he saw it was near midnight and told Yashiro he would be leaving. Yashiro agreed and asked if he could hitch for a ride. He told him he didn't mind but he would like to go to the restroom first. Yashiro told him to go and meet him by the entrance.

Kuon felt so sticky and he wanted to wash his hands face at least. He was in a hurry so much that he forgot that he brought his beer can with him, by the time he noticed it, he was already far the door and could not see any garbage bins. That would be troublesome he thought, what if someone throws up but there were no garbage bins around to go to. The restroom was too far in his opinion, he could only imagine what the janitors had to clean up if that happens.

He must have been too immersed in his thought with garbage bins and looking around that he did not noticed someone in front of him.

* * *

"Oh my god!" A feminine voice cried out. Kuon felt a splash and his shirt stick to him. He turned right away and saw that she fell over, immediately he asked if she was alright and extended his hand to help. She did not accept his hand but instead stood up on her own and dusted herself.

"I am fine. What about you?" and Kuon felt himself freezing over for a second. Finding himself startled by a pair of large golden eyes.

"Um, excuse me?" she asked again.

He snapped back to his senses and said, "I apologize, I wasn't looking." he smiled at her, and he bowed his head a little.

"Oh, no! It was me, I apologize." she bowed her head too. "I am sorry for your shirt."

She turned to her bag and looked for something. "Here," she handed him a handkerchief, "You got some on your face and shirt." she accessed him once again and he felt too conscious. What was wrong with him? "You have some on your shoes too. Please use that. I am sorry."

"It is fine. I am at fault too. You sure you won't be needing this?" he asked her about her handkerchief. She smiled a little at him and once again he felt too conscious.

"No, please use that."

He was to say something but he saw her look at her phone, "Um, I have to leave now. My ride's here. Please use that, and once again, I am sorry." she bowed again and left. She walked so fast before he got to say anything. With the ringing in his mind and her handkerchief in his hands, he did not know what happened after.

* * *

"Miss, you alright?"

Kyoko was too far up in her head that it was long after he asked that she registered that the driver was talking to her. "Excuse me?"

"Are you alright?" he repeated.

"Yes, thank you. "

She was so flustered. She felt her face was too hot, her mind kept repeating what happened when she was leaving the club. She thought of her carelessness and the way she hurriedly left him just because the taxi driver arrived much sooner than she expected. She felt sorry for the man because the beer would have certainly stain his shirt and worse, smell all over him. But if she was being more honest, she was more preoccupied with his heart-shaped face and those green eyes more than all that has happened the whole night.

* * *

"Kuon. "

"Kuon."

"Kuon!"

Kuon was startled that he did not noticed he almost ran by the red light.

"Seriously, what's wrong with you! I've been calling you and you don't answer. Are you too buzzed?" Yashiro exasperated.

"No. Sorry. " Kuon did not know what's happening either.

"Okay, just drop me off by the next block. See you on Monday. "

"Right."

Even when he reached his apartment and showered, long black hair and golden eyes still invaded his thoughts. He did not know why her voice kept ringing inside his head. All she ever said was 'sorry'. Still, her voice replayed over and over and those gold-colored eyes kept flashing when he close his eyes. He must have drunk more than he thought he could.

What was with him?

* * *

And that concludes the first chapter! I hope this is much more satisfactory and let you guys know the story a little bit. Till next time. Thanks for reading. Review please?


	3. Chapter 2

Hello to all! This is a much faster update than I expected. Honestly, I had the first few chapters drafted, or with the cases of the Prologue and Chapter 1, written with impulse because I did not follow the drafts and pre-writes of it. I want to say that I very much appreciated all the follows, favorites, and the reviews I received with FASOT. And I would like to mention too that I have revised chapter one if some of you will notice. I just noticed a lot of errors and added some tidbits in the story.

To the anon reviewer who asked if I would include a child Kyoko and Corn, I'm not sure honestly. I really don't know if that setting would fit this story but...mmm. I am impulsive and spontaneous, really. If I can see it happening later in the story, why not?

To all those who reviewed, I really appreciated it but hopefully you can sign-in with your accounts so I can really thank you personally with a message? Thank you for your support and I hope you continue supporting and reading this fic!

 **Disclaimer:** Skip Beat! and all its characters are not mine. However, this fan fiction is.

* * *

Two figures entered the room and if the entrance to their office was a wooden door instead of glass, the other employees in the office might have heard it shut loudly.

"Kuon!" Yukihito Yashiro's chiding voice reverberated in the office. The aforementioned person kept walking briskly and with the discernible dark mood surrounding their vice-president, they know not to cross their way. The employees can only wonder what happen with their bosses as they disappear and enter Yukihito's personal office.

"I know you don't like what the President assigned you but he was right." Yashiro said as he signaled Kuon to take a seat.

Kuon glared at his director and was almost tempted to walk out and leave the office early.

"I know you don't like that you got excused from the project that we have with Infinitest but I think it's alright to not be involved with that anymore." Yashiro continued but Kuon felt more irritated.

"I was not excused, I was downright bullied to be removed from the project." he said angrily.

"It is certainly not like that. The president only pointed out that between you and all us other employees, you do more. And I can attest to that! Even the ones you're not supposed to. This new project that we have is lighter and it's yours. You'd like that, right? It's a small scale project, you will choose your own team, isn't that great?" Yashiro reasoned. Kuon understood what he was saying. He clearly understood all of it since the meeting earlier with their company president but he'd rather do the Infinitest project since he has already finished the marketing plan for it.

He took a deep breath and asked if he can leave but Yashiro stopped him. "I think it's time to let the other employees showcase themselves, you know? We hired new staff, and we have new interns. The experienced employees can guide them with the project. They all have brilliant talents, sometimes it's good to give way. I'll supervise too, so don't worry."

"Are you saying that I hog everything?" he said now incensed.

"Now stop that, Hizuri." Yashiro immediately stopped his raging junior, "I am only clearly stating that you've done much all the work you can do for our department and our previous projects, sometimes let other people take over. This project will work out fine, work on yours."

Kuon knew that that was the end of the discussion. "Alright." he complied.

"Take a breather, Kuon. This project will give you it."

Kuon sometimes hate when Yashiro can be so damn reasonable.

* * *

As hardworking more than anyone else Hizuri Kuon was, he too had off-days. Unlike other people, he look forward for Mondays to come. His lifestyle only consisted of two things—his work and his non-existent personal life. Much of Kuon's day is spent on working. He starts the day by preparing for work, and he ends it with sleeping after working. He honestly have no qualms about it. He has a satisfying career life: works at an esteemed company, he's paid well, is a high-position employee. All his career goals were attained at his young age. He does have time to go out and party, did have some relationships too but never truly reached the point where he wanted to settled down. When his boss and his other co-workers ask why he hasn't, he would just politely shrug and say that he really hasn't thought of it and that he wants to work more more than start a family.

Yashiro said that he just hasn't found the one.

Though he did spend his weekend leisurely, he felt unusually worn out today. He went out to the to the park to exercise, went to the grocery store to restock his fridge, watched movies in his apartment but he knew he was slightly distracted in the past two days. The hangover, or what he would call it because he doesn't know what and how to name what transpired last Friday, left him thinking of the woman. Not think of her as who was she, or if they'd meet again because that was unlikely. He just thought of her the way you'd think when something interesting happened and you can't help but to repeat it over and over again. He could somehow still remember her face and what her voice sounded like, but as days went on, it reduced to glimpses or just flashes, her face and eyes would just fleet in a millisecond.

Just milliseconds.

As eventful his Monday was with his exclusion from a certain project, Tuesday and Wednesday passed with a blur.

* * *

 _Thursday, that same week_

In another office, some cubicles were vacant for lunch time. Kyoko and Kirizawa Yuko were left as Kyoko were printing the pages for her presentation today. She, Kanae, Chiroi, and their team leader Yuko are going to LME today to meet with the team they are going to work with with its latest foundation project.

"Kyoko, you have everything ready?" Yuko asked.

"Yes. I will just have to compile them for the meeting later." she answered.

"Okay, do you remember what time we'll meet them?"

"At 2:30pm. Let's leave at 1:30. Is that alright with you?" Kyoko turned to look at her.

"It's alright. Do you have your car with you today or you want to ride in mine?"

"It's fine, let's take mine. Kanae and Chiori will arrive at 1:15 later. We can eat first." Kyoko smiled and led the older woman out of the copy center. Yuko then went to her cubicle and grabbed her purse. It is cold noodles today for lunch, she decided.

She and Kyoko had mild chatter over lunch. Some of their co-workers were probably back in the office or at project sites. Their small company never ran out of work, and for that she was thankful.

"Did that picnic with your parents pushed through, Kyoko?" she asked pertaining to the picnic outing Kyoko planned with her parents over the weekend. Kyoko beamed a smile and said yes.

"Kanae took some of her niece and nephews with her and Chiori brought her dog along so it was a lot of fun. The kids played around with Riku and we also had the time to unwind. The park and the weather was so nice that day." she said.

"That's great. Though I didn't think Kanae-chan would take her niece and nephews with her. She always says they're a handful." Yuko laughed.

Kyoko joined in, "Yes, but she did have a great time. My parents actually played with the kids. Riku was also behaved that day so Chiori had a great time."

"So the training lessons are going well?" Yuko asked pertaining to Chiori's dog.

"Yes." Kyoko smiled at her.

By no later than 1:20 pm Kanae and Chiori arrived and they set off to LME.

* * *

 _Same day at LME Building, Conference Room 3B_

She does not recognize him.

He was sure there was no any hint of recognition of him from her. It was normal, he said. They only had an encounter less than five minutes so he thought it was only logical. Still, he can't help but wish she would at least _try._ At the end of his musings, he wished that she wouldn't.

When they have entered the conference room, he knew that he must have looked a bit odd since he was sure that he stared at a certain woman longer than the others. He was thankful that she did not see because her face was turned away from his since she was thanking their receptionist behind the door. When she turned to look at them, he was already speaking and shaking hands with the others.

"Hizuri-san?" Kuon was then snapped out of his reverie. He rapidly blinked his eyes and straightened out his posture, "Yes. I'm sorry, what was that?" he tried to appear as apologetic as possible, the older woman smiled in understanding.

"I'm asking when do you want to go and visit the institutions?" Yuko repeated.

Kuon answered her, "Me and my team are available any time next week from Wednesday to Saturday. We can schedule the date and time for that. I know that you have received the informations regarding each institution, yes?" he asked and the other women in the room with Yuko nodded.

Kyoko turned to him, and for the love of god, he prayed that he looked alright. He's been behaving so out of character since the beginning of their meeting and his employees will start to think something was off with him today. "For the campaign itself, we 're thinking the videos should at least be 3-4 minutes in length and each institution will have their own separate video."

"You know that will be expensive right?" Kuon interrupted.

"I do not think so, _sir_." Kyoko immediately answered him. Kuon tried to suppress a grin forming in his lips while Kyoko looked indignant. "How _we_ plan to shoot the campaign is by far less costly." she continued, "We do not _need_ a huge production team or bigtime directors, we can hire local film artists and videographers. We have worked with some of them and their works are astounding. A lot of them have their works posted on the internet so maybe _you_ can check them."

She must have taken him the wrong way. He was only pertaining to the airtime costs, not the production costs.

"And what is wrong with hiring the ones _our_ company usually work with?" Kuon challenged.

"I just think it's time we recognize our local artists. We are creative people in this industry, are we not? All I am saying is, there's a lot of new bloods out there that can produce brilliant works. They can give new elements for commercial campaigns. By working with these new generation artists, it gives a new meaning to the industry. Is not LME like that? Giving opportunities?" And with that Kuon openly smiled at her. Kyoko looked stunned for a moment and continued to say, "We have clearly established that for this project you want the audience to be moved and feel connected with the children but is unique from other commercials. We can make that happen." she said determinedly.

And with that, Kuon knew he was won over. He looked at her one more time before looking at the other people in their team and then his. "I will discuss those matters with my team and get back to yours." he said and everybody understood that the discussion for that was over.

There was tension in the air and Chiori dreaded that she had to present after that. As Chiori presented her web design for the project, everybody in the conference room listened attentively. Chiori's design were impeccable. As much as it was made for a formal website, Chiori made it very interactive, Kanae would sometimes dive in because she will be one of the contributors for the website. They plan to have different profiles set out for each institution. The LME team will most be closely working with Kanae since the information and website content will be of LME's new foundation.

The meeting was very productive. Both teams were dynamic, throwing ideas after another. Kuon can see what Yashiro was talking about the younger ones having different perspectives nowadays with marketing. He was glad he decided to take most of the younger new interns to work with him. Yuko din not expect the LME team to be that open-minded after Hizuri Kuon and Kyoko's mild argument. She can see how the other team really handles their business since they are very active participants in the discussion but not pushing them over like they had expect them to do.

Looking at the wall clock at the far end of room, Kuon saw that it was past 4pm. The meeting took longer than expected. As the last matters were discussed, he closed his binder signaling that the meeting was over. "Please call us to schedule the next meeting." and then he stood up. The others followed and they all shook hands.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Hizuri-san." Yuko said as she and Kuon shook hands.

"Likewise, I look forward to doing this project with you." he replied. He did the same with the other members of their team saving Kyoko the last.

"Goodbye, Hizuri-san." Kyoko said, her hands firmly shaking his.

"See you again, Mogami-san." he replied, smiling at her.

* * *

Kyoko was pale as she and the others got in on the elevator. Kanae asked her if she was okay but she smiled timidly at her and replied that she was alright. Yuko and Chiori were not convinced. As Kanae drove Kyoko's car, they all decided to have an early dinner at a Chinese restaurant where they usually hang-out after work. Kyoko was still quiet but the color on her face returned.

"Mo! What is wrong with you? You've been quiet since we left LME. What's happening? Kanae demanded to her friend.

Kyoko groaned and hid her face, "We're finished, Moko-san. I ruined our collaboration project with LME." she wailed.

"Ruined?" Chiori asked, bewildered herself.

"I deliberately insulted their team leader to his face about the production. Did you see how he looked when we were talking? We're finished, you guys. I ruined it!" she cried. "I have to apologize to our boss and resign. Maybe—"

Yuko immediately cut off Kyoko, "I don't think you did, my dear." she patted Kyoko's head and continued, "What you did was fine, I saw that he was convinced with your suggestion. If he took your words wrongly, I know that we would have been dismissed right away. And we weren't. That long discussion with them proves it." she consoled her.

"But didn't you feel his aura was after the meeting?" she asked, shivering again as she remembered.

"He was alright, Kyoko. They are professional people. We are only introducing them to a newer perspective, they won't take it wrongly. We are still doing this project with them. Don't over think this." Chiori reassured her.

Kyoko did not answer back but she definitely felt a little bit better.

"This project will happen because we will work hard for it." Kanae said. Yuko and Chiori cheered and proposed a toast.

"To us." Yuko said.

"To us!" the three girls chorused.

As Kyoko retired for the night, she still felt a little anxious. All the stress were gone but she was worried about the next time she will go to LME again and face them. As she succumbed to the spell of the sleeping fairy, she wondered, what will happen to their next meeting.

* * *

So this is chapter two. Hope you guys liked it? A lot of scenarios came up and the original contents of this chapter were pretty much phased out. And yeah, in case some of you might notice or will notice in the future, I like to revise over and over again every time I update another chapter so you will notice that at times that the uploaded chapters will have changes. It's just this habit of mine where I just have to check and check and change and then change over and over and over again.

 **Author's Note:** So, as some of you must have figured out, this is an AU fic. I won't be following the canon (or as try as much as I can not to.) Meaning, Kyoko and Ren, or in this story, I would be using Kuon—Tsuruga Ren's real self. Kyoko and Kuon are not actors, they won't have as much similar character settings as with the manga. They are both office employees, as well as the other characters like Yashiro, Kanae, and Chiori.

I'm the type of reader/writer who actually is comfortable with the familiar style of fanfics, meaning those that have the same characterizations and story line with the manga but I'm going the extra mile here to get out of that because it just makes more sense with what the story I have in my mind and I want to present a different feel for a Skip Beat! fanfiction.

So, please take care of me! This is long for an author's 'note' so I'll end this with another thank you, and review please?

 _P.S_

 _If some of you have criticisms and suggestions, please tell me! I read every review and take them to heart. But not in the bad way ;)_


	4. Chapter 3

Hello guys! The chapter took longer than expected. I was in a slump for this one but thankfully it came out quite satisfactory. Thank you for all those who followed, favorited, reviewed this fic!

I was asked if Sho and President Lory would be in the story, and the answer would be yes. Definitely they would be. The president has been mention quite a few times in the last chapters and on this one. I'm slowly introducing him, and like the manga, he would pretty much be involved in the story. For Sho, I already drafted the chapter/s on which he will be in so, just look forward. Without further ado, here is the fourth chapter for Fate, And Some Other Things!

 **Disclaimer:** Skip Beat! and all its characters are not mine. However, this fanfiction is.

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"Alright! You can do this, Kyoko. He is a professional. There won't be a repeat of what happened last time." she said as she talked to herself in the mirror. Almost two weeks have passed and she still felt anxious because of the little argument she had with the team leader of LME. Kanae did a little research about the team they were working with and it was much to her horror that they have learned that Kuon Hizuri was the vice-president of the marketing department in LME. Him, along side three marketing specialists and five interns comprised the team they are working with.

While they were a number of people working with them, it was only the four of them representing their company. Even when they all appeared amiable and approachable, she can't still help but feel intimidated. She had worked with numerous people almost the same calibre as LME employees but she felt like no one would come as close with them, especially with their department vice-president.

"Faith, Love, and Happiness" was the title for the campaign they will be doing. When the LME representative presented the campaign title, they had almost scoffed none too discreetly but looking over at the other employees, it seemed that they too share the sentiments. Kanae later found out that the company president was obsessed with romance and romanticism, hence the name.

LME has established itself as one of the leading entertainment company in Japan but also, they have also been known for working with different organizations, national and internationally that promote the arts. LME has a wide range of artists from actors, musicians, film artists, fashion designers, production specialists and many more. It is one of the company's mission to promote and expand the horizons of different artistries in Japan and in Asia. Lory Takarada, the president, is a pioneer in his own time, and was very much recognized and revered by the industry.

The campaign the president thought by himself was great. Lory's Majestic Entertainment have chosen five children institutions from different regions all over Japan that they would introduce different art programs. The president himself chose the different organizations who will prepare the study programs and alongside, were a number of selected professionals who will guide through the program. It was a full scale major project, but light compared to the others LME has worked on.

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"As we were going through the possible plans for this project, we thought of working with our own artists. It has been long since LME had its own artists participate with the charity campaigns. As of this week, we already sent out invitations to our artists through their managers and department heads. As you all know, before we debut our artist, they are trained intensively on their chosen crafts and specializations. So, working with us and the organizations will be easy. The organizations and specialists that the president chose himself have long been informed, so we won't have to be concerned with them. As we and the president wants, this campaign project will be an immense collaboration of different artists through and through."

Yuko, Kanae, and Kyoko listened in awe as one of the LME representatives finished telling them the new plans their team had constructed and accomplished since their last meeting. As the contract agreement between LME and their company, Taiki Marketing and Advertising stated, LME would be handling most of the inside work since they were particular with who they were working with while they would assist them with the production of the campaign— filming and promotional works.

Yuko had already assigned the girls to get and contact the videographers they have worked with before. So far, only three of those returned their calls. The first one could not because he just signed in for a project with another firm but the other two videographers confirmed—the Bridge Rock Brothers since they just finished filming their short-film project and Aya Hyuuga, who usually works with them with internet commercials. They were targeting to at least get seven videographers and their teams but so far, a lot of them has yet to return their calls. Kanae, Kyoko, and Chiori had spent the last days researching various videographers and their works on the internet. Their perfectionist natures had made the research more difficult because sometimes the three of them would disagree, mostly Kanae and Chiori, and the research is prolonged more. The positive side to it, affirmed Kyoko was that, when they all come to an agreement, they make excellent choices. The three of them are one of their company's most valuable employees and Kanae never lets their other coworkers forget that.

"What do you think?" Kuon Hizuri turned to them.

"The idea of the collaboration with your own employees is wonderful. But I think, it is somewhat lacking." Yuko articulated. The surprised expressions of Kyoko and Kanae are mirrored by the other people in the room. "Your plans are brilliant, creative, and very elaborate LME team, but I think you missed the most important element of this campaign project."

"What is it then, Kirizawa-san?" one of the interns asked her.

"The children." Yuko simply answered.

"As elaborate your plans are," she continued, "Your plans did not have a thought of building relationships with the children. These are not normal children, I remind you. They grew up in a different scenario than all of us in here. Each institutions have different circumstances, and every child different. As sophisticated are the plans and distinguished the organizations we are going to work with in this project, what you fail to think about are the children. 'How can we reach out to them?', 'How will this program relate to them?', 'What significance this campaign will be on their lives?', 'How will this program affect their lives and their institution?'. These are the important questions you forgot to consider."

The LME team looked completely taken aback by her statement.

"We all here are in this project to have an opportunity to have an impact and change these children's lives, moreover, inform the country of this issue. While it is good to look at the perspectives with success in mind, we have to be mindful of the children and of the present." she said in an almost motherly tone. "We are practically strangers who will be introducing ourselves to them. We will be introducing a world that may be different from them. We will present them to the nation. These children are fragile but probably are stronger than ourselves. What we hope for for this campaign is achievable but not just immediate." Yuko finished and everybody in the room were looking at her intensely. What she said are all right, most of them just forgot, admittedly so, the true purpose of this was.

"Thank you Kirizawa-san." Kuon spoke, "You are right. It seems we indeed have forgotten the children. I apologize for our mistake." he bowed and the others followed.

Yuko was taken aback by the actions and hurriedly said, "Heavens, no. It's alright. We are still on the planning process anyway. We are allowed to have mistakes like that. I just brought the subject to light. Your team is truly brilliant, Hizuri-san. It's an honor working you people." she replied, smiling at the man.

Kyoko looked at their leader and can't help but me more amazed by this woman. Yuko was the oldest in the room and definitely the wisest. LME employees might be great business intellectuals but they failed to know the most important. Kyoko could see why she had said those things, knowing Yuko herself has three children. She must have related those children to her own.

The meeting ended with great results and they scheduled to meet again next week to talk and possibly do the on-site research work.

* * *

"They were totally blindsided by what you said, Yuko." Kanae said as they were lounging at the break room of their office.

Yuko laughed a little, "I don't know why they were like that too, you know."

"Because its all about business to them, that's why. A big company such as LME, who has _tons_ of project like this, it feels much over done. They were probably just doing it the way they handle their other projects." Kanae replied.

"You still bitter about them, Kanae?" Yuko jested.

And immediately, Kanae flustered. "No! It's not like that at all." Kanae, over four years ago, applied for a job at the marketing department in LME. She got the internship and was confident she will get hired as an employee but failed at the final interview. The company president (whom she did not know of until recently) was a panelist and asked her about marketing for children. Everything in the interview session with him was a blur but she could remember how she and the president battled orally for thirty minutes about the magnificence of children and having a family. She did not expect them to call her back after the president cried unashamedly for her lack of familial love in front of everybody.

Kyoko came to the room with tupperwares in hand. There were onigiris, sushi and some rice cakes she made with her mother over the weekends. Kanae grunted saying Kyoko is really out to make her fat while Yuko immediately grabbed one rice cake and happily thanked her. She was just craving some sweet rice cakes and the rice cakes Kyoko makes are one of her favorites. "Save some for Chiori, you know she will be here later." Kyoko reminded them.

The project had a long way to go and Kyoko feels like it wasn't progressing as much expects it to. Usually, in over a month she would be busy with the production phase but she reasoned that LME is such a busy company that they will be the ones who will be adjusting most of the time. This project as a matter of fact, means a lot for her and Kanae and Chiori are the ones who knows best why. Yuko is an amazing team leader and the way she handled the meeting earlier was wonderful. She wants this project to be highly successful with a number of reasons. First, to inform the nation on the lack of awareness of this issue, second, to get investors or the government itself to invest on these children, and finally, just the change itself that the program will bring. As simple as art programs can be, the effect on the probable change it will bring the children is profoundly big. As Yuko said earlier, this campaign will change the lives of over a hundred children all over Japan. She vowed to herself and the children whom she hasn't met yet to make this project successful.

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"Boss, you alright?" Yuu Inoue, one of their new interns asked him as he handed him a cup of coffee. Kuon liked the young man. He is always active during discussions in their meetings, a little too talkative, but dependable. The other interns have left early but Yuu and another intern stayed. It read 7:06 PM on the digital clock but Kuon knew he wouldn't be leaving until 10pm to finish other paper works. Yukihito might have given him this _small-scale_ project but it doesn't mean he didn't have others. Others he had been handling before and was adamant not to give up.

Today had been long but he was not tired. Compared to the work load he had before, his schedule now became lighter. He only has a few he's working on besides Faith, Love, and Happiness. He comes to Yashiro more often now to ask _discreetly_ if there are things he needs help with but Yashiro threatened to swat him with a broom or a desk if he asks again. He had been irate with him since. It didn't help either when the president was on board with him.

"Yes, there are just some documents I need to work on. I'm falling behind on my schedule." he said to the intern. Yuu simply laughed and told his boss he does not believe him.

"But man, Kirizawa-san from Taiki was really something earlier. What she said was unexpected. I really thought we had it in the bag." he said.

The other intern, Hayato, interjected, "They were right though. I'll admit that when I was thinking of the plans I really did not take the children much to consideration. I thought that, as the program will go, the children will follow. I thought too easy. And it's not."

"Yeah, me too." Yuu agreed.

"It's humbling though. Made me think how fortunate we are." Kuon followed.

"Yes. That's why I'll really put my best here, boss! I want to do good with this project. I want to help these children. Impress Kirizawa-san on the way too." Yuu said. Kuon raised an eyebrow to his intern.

"You know she's probably married, Yuu. What are your chances." Hayato replied.

"I don't care. I like older women, I just want to impress her 'cause she's a very sensible woman. Her or the other two women with her earlier." Hayato just shook his head, unamused.

"What? They are attractive women are they not, boss! Kotonami-san is very beautiful but she seems cold. And the other one, umm, what's her name...umm..." Yuu was snapping his fingers trying to remember the name.

Kuon was tempted to reprimand the intern. Kuon is not blinded to the fact that they are indeed beautiful women, distracting almost especially with the person whose name his intern is recalling. He was tempted to say her name, but he was scared on what sensations his body will bring about again by just saying it. The interaction he had with her today, or the lack of it, left him cold and intrigued.

"Mogami." Hayato answered.

"Yes, Mogami! She seems nice and way approachable than Kotonami, but I don't know. Kirizawa-san's it for me." Yuu declared. Before Kuon could say anything, Hayato whacked Yuu in the head and apologized to their boss for Yuu's loose mouth. Yashiro may have gotten off his back but it seems like he had a replacement. Kuon took a deep breath and turned back to his computer and worked ignoring the two interns.

At eight, Hayato and Yuu left the office. At nine, he talked to Yashiro in his office. At ten, he finally decided to go home. After showering and getting himself ready for bed, Kuon had a hard time falling asleep. Why is he having a feeling that this project wouldn't be as easy as he thought it would be?

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So that's the fourth chapter. I know, I know, the lack of interactions between the main characters are so blaaah but it's necessary. I am slowly laying the plot for the readers to get what the story will be about. Not just the interactions between the characters but also an in-depth telling how and why it is constructed right now. I promise, they will all be relevant in the future chapters! Thanks for reading and review, please?


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